The Good Thing about Science it's True Whether or Not You Believe in it - Essay Example

Name: Lecture Name: Subject: Date: “The good thing about science it's true whether or not you believe in it” Religion and science are not mutually exclusive. However, “religious believers can no longer claim their ancient scriptures as literal fact”. In earlier days, religious leaders were against the spread of scientific methods, because they feared science discovery would undermine much of what religion taught (John, 2009). For example, during the 19th century, when scientists tried to decipher languages discovered in the pyramids, religious leaders caused a delay because they feared that the deciphering would discover that the civilization in Egypt continued uninterrupted during the times of Noah’s flood (Joseph 2008). Since the development of science in the renaissance period, modern science has contributed a lot to our ability to understand, perceive, and manipulate the world. Over the years, science has been used to evaluate and invent hypotheses that may be used to elaborate why things happen as they do. Unlike rigid appeal to the unchallenged unsupported assertions such as when a father tells his son, “Because I tell you so, that’s why.” Scientific methods always tentative proposals that are subject to modification, evaluation, or even can be turn if other evidences are found (Thomas 2009). How does science work: let say a scientist, Dr. X, who has been collecting data over the years. Believe he had a scientific breakthrough and made certain hypothesis that is accepted by other scientific community. In such situation, Dr. X must first write a scientific paper, outlining the details of his discovery, plus detailed descriptions of the experiments- i.e. test - he used in coming up with the discovery. The purpose of scientific protocol is to allow other scientists to independently check if what is stated in the research paper is fact that is warranted by the experiment the scientist carried out. After the paper has been submitted in the PEER REVIEWED scientific journal, and other scientists have had a chance to assess and scrutinize the details in the scientific discovery, then the hypothesis will be accepted as valid. Then the paper will be published (Joseph 2008). It should be noted that peer review process is extremely rigorous and merciless. Thousands and thousands of science papers in a given field are reviewed, and many ideas end up getting rejected by professionals. For example, the highly respected New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet reject well over 90 per cent research papers that have been submitted for publication. In short, the peer review process is the back-bone of science’s self-correcting quality (John 2009). Indeed many internet articles, press and books have been written to challenge the consensus view on anthropogenic global warming, evolution, sexual orientation, HIV-AIDS and other issues which have been agreed upon- from a seemingly scientific basis. The battle should not be fought in books or internet articles, but the real battle should be fought in the PEER REVIEW process, and it is only after a scientific idea has been scrutinized and accepted by majority of scientists, then the information should be disseminated to the readers as an accepted scientific fact (Joseph 22). Over the years, people have always turned to science for “accurate” answers. When it comes to the future of humanity, the history of the universe, it is so strange that human beings are able to form their beliefs that are bases on the two mysteries. However, the basis of science is to prove everything with certainty. On many occasions, scientists have not only been found to be wrong but they always look for new ways to show that current scientific ideas or methods are wrong. This continuous testing is what makes science ideas so valid and trustworthy (Forshaw 2013). Science gives human beings a lot of evidence but should we trust science? Many people base their understanding on what scientific ideas or methods offer them, and whenever there’s a new breakthrough or achievement they update their understanding. Though this is not how minds of people work. I do believe in many scientific discoveries such as evolution of mankind, and this is for the simple reason that scientists have enough evidence, and in one way or another, these scientific evidences are connected and scientists have provided theories to describe these connections (Thomas 2009). Many scientific inventions that have been discovered in last 100 years has made human beings to believe in technology as a solution to everything ( John 2009), and that through science people are able to conquer the universe and threats to our survival. This theory is true, and it’d derived from scientific information. Over the years human beings have used science to open up. Through science, people have discovered how their wrong thinking has led them to another path of discovery, where people try to find the missing link to life’s puzzle games (Joseph 2008). The current century is the century of science. Over the years science has done a great service to human beings, a rational being, have been able to explore mysteries of the world in different part of the world and this has led to many discoveries (Merchant 2010). But human beings are still not satisfied with the acquired knowledge, because human beings are still keen on unraveling mysteries of the world with the help of scientific discoveries (Forshaw 2013). Through the belief in science, great men have been able to conquer the air and land. Science has revolutionised human beings life and at same time raised the standard of living (Merchant 2010). Through science, human beings are able to discover new ideas and this has made life comfortable and happy. Through believing in science, every sphere of life has been revolutionalised (John 2009). Science can be said to be power as people are able to use wisdom and make decisions that have impact in their lives (Forshaw, 2013). For example, when a person is dying of cancer, every available treatment will be consulted to help that person, therefore, science has a role in people lives. Though ways of learning science has changed over the years i.e. from thinking logically to experimenting to reading classics, but, the ways science has been used over the years has not changed. For example, when there is a major epidemic, medicine is applied to prevent the epidemic from spreading (Joseph 2008). Another example is that when pyramids were being built, architectures came into use. Yet science is not only being used for such elaborate or needful situations, but they are also being used in our daily lives. We all know the importance of washing ourselves on a regular basis, only for biology. The Wright brothers with their invention of the aircraft have enable people to use their technology to travel long distances in a shorter time. We humans would be so impotent if we don’t believe in science. Science is the knowledge of the world. If we did not have science in the universe (Forshaw, 2013), it would mean human being will be motivated by instinct. Therefore our definition of “human life” would not exist (Thomas 2009). Nowadays, scientific ideas and findings have been highly politicized, with people opting to trust the media or internet sources rather than do “watertight” research in order to prove the scientific idea or findings through the tested and tried peer review process (Merchant 2010). Most people who criticize science are after winning the heart and mind of the public (for political/ideological reasons), but are not concern with doing “good” for science. On the other hand, the media is also guilty for intentionally creating confusion, by always generating controversy so that they can attract more listeners/readers/viewers (Thomas 2009). In conclusion, in the last 100 years science has prove itself to be the most reliable and the most effective tool of inquiry at the disposal of humans. It is through science that has save millions and millions of lives through improved methods of practicing agriculture and advance in medicine. Scientific discovery has given humans planes, cars, ships, televisions, refrigerators, mobile phones etc. Which today human beings take these inventions for granted, but actually we cannot imagine human being living without these inventions. Indeed many questions that have not been answered give scientists opportunities to further discover. No other methods or enquiry possesses anywhere near the same degree of reliability, thoroughness, and efficiency in helping humans better understand this world that we live in, as science does. Therefore, let’s make the most of it (Forshaw, 2013). Scientist are just normal human beings like you and me, and in the abstract, we should not imagine ourselves that scientists are any less or more trustworthy than anyone else (Merchant 2010). As mentioned above, scientific ideas or methods are all about testable predictions, and scientist are not able to hide behind untrustworthy results for a long period, because at some point someone else will reveal that their work was false (Forshaw 2013). So, we should trust science, but in order for a people to know what is going on in the world of science, they should retain a probing and questioning attitude to scientific work. . In particular, we should not knock the media for stirring up trouble about science, because open examination of what scientists are doing is the best way, indeed the only way, of exposing the shortcomings of a tiny minority, and of demonstrating the trustworthiness of the overwhelming majority of scientists. Works Cited Forshaw, J 2013, ‘Scientists or politicians – who should you trust most?’, The Gurdian Newspaper, 13 January. Retrived from http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jan/13/jeff-forshaw-climate-change-science John B 2009, What We Believe but Cannot Prove, HarperCollins, London:, 2009. Joseph H 2008, I Believe in Science!, Shepherd of Israel Publishe, Tel Aviv. Thomas R 2009, What to Believe in Science: Teleology Or Evolution, HarperCollins, London.. Merchant, B 2010, ‘Do You Trust Scientists? Tree Huggers, 19 March. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/culture/do-you-trust-scientists.html Read More